1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to deodorizer apparatus for bathrooms and, more particularly, to deodorizer devices especially adapted for deodorizing toilets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bathrooms are well known to be sources of unpleasant odors, and number of aerosol sprays are especially designed to be used in a bathroom environment. There are times, however, when the use of an aerosol spray is inconvenient. This may be especially true when a person is in a rush. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which did not require the use of an aerosol spray.
In the bathroom, the toilet is the area that is the source off most of the unpleasant odors. As a result, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to deodorizing toilets, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,301,555; 4,344,194; 5,054,130; 5,079,785; and 5,086,523.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,555 discloses a replaceable filter for deodorizing the air from a toilet bowl. A flexible seal is located between the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat. A quantity of charcoal is placed within the flexible seal. A pump is used to circulate air from the toilet bowl through the charcoal. A disadvantage of this device is the need for an odor-absorbing material such as charcoal. It must be replaced when its odor-absorbing properties are consumed. Moreover, this device requires the use of an air pump to circulate air through the charcoal. The pump requires electrical power, and electrical power is not always readily available, especially in outdoor toilets. Therefore, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which does not require an odor-absorbing material such as charcoal. In addition, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which does not require a source of electricity for operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,194 discloses a toilet seat and lid unit with a concealed air deodorizer system which includes an air pump powered by rechargeable batteries. Aside from its need for electric power, albeit by batteries, this device requires the use of a toilet lid. In fact, however, not all toilets are equipped with toilet lids. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which does not require the presence of a toilet lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,130 is like the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,555 in its requirement for an odor-absorbing material and an electrically powered air pump. Moreover, this device requires the presence of a water tank. In fact, however, not all toilets are equipped with a water tank. This is especially so for outdoor toilets. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which does not require the presence of a water tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,785 discloses a deodorizing toilet seat that employs a rigid, hollow toilet seat in which are housed a quantity of odor-absorbing material, an electrically-powered air pump for moving air through the odor-absorbing material, and rechargeable batteries for powering the air pump. As mentioned above, the use of odor-absorbing material has the disadvantage of losing its odor-absorbing capacity over time. Moreover, the batteries will drain over time and need to be recharged. Furthermore, many people prefer to employ toilet seats that are soft and flexible, not rigid as required by this device. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which employed a soft and flexible toilet seat, does not require an odor-absorbing material, and does not require replacement or recharging of an electrical power source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,523 discloses a sanitary attachment that is attached to the bottom surface of a toilet seat. The sanitary attachment provides a handle for the toilet seat so that the toilet seat can be lifted by the handle without touching the toilet seat itself. The attached handle is attached to the toilet seat by a layer of adhesive material. A quantity of deodorizer material is contained in a housing under the adhesive layer. A number of factors work against the handle having a durable attachment to the toilet seat. Leverage between the handle and the adhesive layer tends to pull the adhesive off of the seat. Moreover, the seat has a tendency to get wet, and the moisture may weaken or completely destroy an adhesive bond between the adhesive and the toilet seat. Furthermore, the handle may be difficult to properly clean. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which does not include an add-on handle.
Still other features would be desirable in a toilet seat deodorizer apparatus. For example, there are toilet seats that are padded and that are flexible and are compressed and emit air when a person sits upon the padded seat. In addition, when the person arises from the toilet seat, the padded seat is resilient and returns to its initial shape. As the padded seat returns to its initial shape, the padded seat sucks in air to replace the air that was squeezed out when the person was sitting on the seat. In this respect, the person sitting upon and rising up from the flexible, resilient toilet seat becomes a motive force for pumping air out of and into the toilet seat. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided which utilizes the motive force of a person sitting upon and rising up from a flexible, resilient toilet seat to move air out of an into the toilet seat.
Materials that bear pleasant odors are often solid materials that are in particulate form. To provide effect pickup of pleasant odors from the particulate material into the room air, an odor pickup chamber is desired. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided for a flexible, resilient toilet seat which includes an odor pickup chamber which houses a quantity of particulate solid odorizing material and permits an air flow from inside the toilet seat, through the odor pickup chamber, to the room air.
As pleasant odors are picked up from the materials that bear the pleasant odors, the pleasant odors gradually dissipate, and eventually, the pleasant-odor-bearing material must be replaced. For convenience, it would be desirable if the odor pickup chamber and the contained pleasant-odor-bearing material could be removed and replaced as a modular unit. This would preclude the necessity of removing the odor pickup chamber, opening the chamber, cleaning the chamber, replacing the spent pleasant-odor-bearing material, closing the chamber, and replacing the chamber back into the toilet seat.
Toilet seats generally have small rigid feet that are attached to the bottom side of the toilet seats and rest on the toilet bowl rim when the toilet seat is lowered to rest upon the rim of the toilet bowl. The rigid feet provide a clearance between the toilet seat and the rim of the toilet bowl. This clearance provides a convenient space in which air flow from the interior of a flexible, resilient toilet seat, through the odor pickup chamber, to the room air can take place. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathroom deodorizer device were provided with odor pickup chambers that were located in the space between the bottom of the toilet seat and the rim of the toilet bowl.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use deodorizers for toilets, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a toilet seat deodorizer apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not require the use of an aerosol spray; (2) does not require an odor-absorbing material such as charcoal; (3) does not require a source of electricity for operation; (4) does not require the presence of a toilet seat lid; (5) does not require the presence of a water tank; (6) employs a soft and flexible toilet seat, does not require an odor-absorbing material, and does not require replacement or recharging of an electrical power source; (7) does not include an add-on handle; (8) utilizes the motive force of a person sitting upon and rising up from a flexible, resilient toilet seat to move air out of an into the toilet seat; (9) includes a pleasant-odor-pickup chamber which houses a quantity of pleasant-odor-pleasing particulate solid odorizing material and permits an air flow from inside the toilet seat, through the odor pickup chamber, to the room air; (10) provides an odor pickup chamber and its contained pleasant-odor-bearing material which can be removed and replaced as a modular unit; and (11) provides odor pickup chambers that are located in the space between the bottom of the toilet seat and the rim of the toilet bowl. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique toilet seat deodorizer apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.